282 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVI. No. 399. 



ing- position which our country has taken in 

 the extraordinary development of astro- 

 nomic science during our generation can 

 alone justify the unparalleled expenditure 

 of our government upon its observatory. 



2. The results of this expenditure 

 through the ten years since the completion 

 of the new observatory should have been 

 its general recognition as the leading ob- 

 servatory of the world in at least some im- 

 portant field of the sciences. With its great 

 advantages over old-fashioned Greenwich 

 and Paris, it should have left both these 

 institutions in the rear. 



3. Has it done anything of this kind"? 

 Is any work of prime importance in as- 

 tronomic science being pursued? Do the 

 astronomers of our own or any other coun- 

 try set that high price upon its output 

 which it should command in the world of 

 fscience? The claim has been made over 

 and over by authorities too high to be ig- 

 nored that these cpiestions must be answered 

 in the negative. The only official rejoinder 

 to them which we can find is a very free 

 iise by the head of the observatory of such 

 terms as 'malice,' 'animosities' and 'preju- 

 dices' in his recent annual reports. Did 

 the criticisms in question allege overt 

 "wrong-doing, this sort of defence might be 

 more or less in place. But a better defence 

 to the charge that the observatoi-y has been 

 doing nothing of imj^ortance would be the 

 showing of something important that it 

 has done. 



4. The conduct of the institution can add 

 nothing to the efficiency of the naval ser- 

 vice, and must subtract from rather than 

 add to its high character in the eyes of the 



world. The very appellation 'naval' is a 

 misnomer. 



5. The idea that even the best officer in 

 the navy, which the new appointee may well 

 be, can take up the present ill-organized 

 institution, with its imperfect and often 

 antiquated instx'uments, and its absence of 

 definite aim, and lead the astronomical force 

 on to that position which the establishment 

 should assume in the world of science, is 

 one that cannot be entertained by any im- 

 partial reviewer of the situation. 



Under these circumstances, should the 

 bodj' of astronomers who desire to make 

 their national institution a worthy represen- 

 tative of their science relax their efforts to 

 bring this result aboiit? Were there any 

 doubt as to the reasonableness and justice 

 of their cause— could even the show of a 

 case against their view be made— they 

 might well abandon their efforts in despair. 

 But when the system against which they 

 contend is so injurious to the good name of 

 American science, and at the same time 

 completely indefensible as it seems to us 

 to be, patriotism and a due regard for the 

 dignity of their science will not allow us 

 to doubt that ultimately success must attend 

 their efforts. 



AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR TBE AD- 

 VANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. SEC- 

 TION C, CHEMISTRY. 



The meetings of Section C of the Ameri- 

 can Association for the Advancement of 

 Science were held in common with those of 

 the American Chemical Society from June 

 30 to July 3. The meeting place was the 

 chapel of the Bellefield Presbyterian 

 Church, Pittsburgh. During the first two 

 days the meetings were in charge of the 



